The most magical place in America
by Tofy-dei
Summary: After the events in 'the most haunted place in america', Danny travels to New York to learn more about the magic society. but between the dragon council watching his every move, the creatures having a fear for the spectral and the many evils lurking in the dark, can our brave halfa survive a week?
1. A Dragon Meeting

_**Hey guys! welcome to the sequel of my most collection! in case you didn't know that: this crossover has a**_ _ **prequel**_ _ **called 'the most haunted place in America'! go read that first, or this fic will have a lot of stuff you won't get.**_

 _ **this story takes place two months later, having Danny stay in New York. I hope you enjoy!**_

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Jake tapped his foot nervously against the floor. The plane was delayed. And of course that meant the halfa was too. He glanced at the arrivals for the zillionth time in the span of an hour and sighed. He was very tempted to just fly up there and check on the plane himself, but that was a very bad idea, considering the awful storm raging outside. Of course, the one time they were on a tight schedule to go meet the Dragon Council, the weather had to disagree. What kind of a first impression was Danny supposed to give if they were late on his introduction?

\- Relax, Jakerooney. I'm sure your friend's plane will land safely!

\- Thanks dad, but his safety ain't what concerns me.- Haley raised a brow at that.

\- It doesn't? Why are you so nervous then?

\- We late to the Grand Central, that's why.

Haley frowned at him, though it was understandable. Jake had decided not to mention Danny's uniqueness until he saw what the Council said. He realized a little too late that his words made it seem like he didn't care for the halfa, but he just wasn't concerned. The boy was already halfway dead, so a plane crash wasn't likely to finish him off. His family just didn't know that, except for Lao Shi, but the elder was already at Grand Central, awaiting their arrival.

Finally, the screen indicated that the Wyoming flight had finally landed. He instantly got a call from the other teenaged boy and he answered it without a doubt.

\- Danny!

\- Jake! It was awful! Why did my sister convince me to come by plane anyway?! The storm shook the damn contraption all the while, I ended up throwing up everything I had eaten! Do you know how gross ectoplasmic barf looks like?! DO YOU?!

\- Yo, relax! I thought you were used ta flyin' during bad weather.

\- Not by PLANE I wasn't.

Just then, Jake saw the distinctive radioactive green eyes staring at him from across the arrival area and the phones were hung. The lanky halfa dragged his smallish suitcase towards the family while taking deep breaths. When he opened his eyes again, they were the most shocking sky blue eyes the Longs had seen in awhile. The boy smiled and extended his hand for Jonathan to shake. He would have to shake Susan's hand when he actually met her.

\- Nice to meet you, Mr. Long. I'm Danny Fenton.

\- Nice to meet you too, Danny! But don't call me Mr. Long. Jon is just fine.-Answered the man while accepting the boy's hand in his own.-You of course know my son and the sweet angel next to him is Haley.

Danny heard the amdrag groan as the little girl next to him curtsied in an adorable fashion. Well, that certainly seemed familiar. She skipped to him and shook his hand as well, with this … air of superiority, characteristic of overpraised children. Now Danny understood why Jake had groaned. He thanked the ancients that Jazz had grown out of that attitude when he turned half ghost.

They four walked to Jon's car, Jake taking the copilot seat, Haley sitting in the middle of the backseat and Danny sat right behind the guy he had met about two months before. Jon filled the air with smalltalk, explaining that his wife, Susan, couldn't come due to an event she was catering for at the moment. He also told Danny that he'd have to go to school with Jake, at which point the young dragon added that he'd have to keep a low profile in front of the mythology teacher, Rotwood, who apparently thought it his mission to expose magic to the world. Danny just nodded in response. The halfa felt a little hand tugging on his hoodie and looked down towards Haley.

\- So, if you didn't want to fly by plane, how would you have flown here?

\- Haley! Don't tell me you were eavesdropping on our phone call!

\- Hey, how could I NOT hear it? He was yelling!

\- Still! There's a reason I didn't tell y'all what he was! Tis the same reason we headed for the Council and not home, yo!-Danny stared. He was meeting a bunch of dragon not five minutes after landing?!- 'Sides, we really late… G will have my head…

-Now now, Jake. Don't talk about your grandpa like that. Sure, he may have this perpetual look of disapproval on his face, but he loves you!-Danny almost chuckled. He had met the older dragon already, but the way his family was describing him gave him all the tells he needed to guess the family interactions. Lao Shi probably hadn't approved of his daughter marrying a human.

-If we're that late… wouldn't it be faster if we flew there?-Jake turned to gape at him.

-In this STORM?! You gotta death wish, ya nut?- The halfa narrowed his eyes at his fellow teenager.-Oh, rite. Sorry.

-I can actually get us both there safely and you know it, you overgrown lizard.-The dragons gasped and the human driver's eyebrows met his hairline.

-Oh yeah? Well, now I dare ya to and ya better get me there dry, ya glorified zombie.

Danny smirked. The boys asked Jonathan to park, got out of the car under the rain and entered an alley. Jon and Haley watched as a bright light engulfed the taller boy and suddenly they were gone. They stared at the empty space for a while until the youngest dragon broke the silence.

-Did Jake call him a zombie?

Meanwhile, high above their heads, Danny Phantom invisibly and intangibly carried his friend in the direction he'd been told to go. The dragon marveled at the fact that rain was pouring on them and yet it never touched them. Sure, being carried bridal style was a little embarrassing, but he hadn't had time to argue. They flew through the clouds like they weren't even there, though Jake noticed that Danny avoided thunder expertly. Upon noticing his look, the young spectral being told him that even if they wouldn't get hurt, it reminded him too much of his… near death experience. They got to the Grand Central before the dragon had time to answer though, so he decided not to comment on it. The half ghost landed them in an empty toilet, going back to the visible and corporeal spectrum, right before turning back human. They reached the underground portion, making Danny frown. He wasn't really sure, but were they really taking a train? Jake walked towards an elevator on the side, making a few weird pressing of the buttons and the door opened instantly. Danny stared at the short greenish man handling the elevator as the dragon shoved him in. The green man said something about enchanted elevators or something and before Danny had a chance of asking why Jake was holding on for dear life, the … goblin? Said 'going down' and Danny immediately regretted not following suit.

The elevator doors opened and Jake dropped from his hanging spot, while Danny saw the first glimpse of magic outside of Amity Park. He slowly lowered himself from the ceiling and just gaped at the scenery. A huge golden pyramid stood before him, half buried under an active volcano, with a greek temple on the side. On top of said pyramid was a dome with a golden dragon embellishment and a turquoise shaped like dragon fire. Danny had only seen buildings like this in the Ghost Zone, but they had never looked this … alive. He heard a shriek behind him and turned to see a terrified… yeah, let's go with goblin. Jake smacked his forehead.

-Ya just hadta float down, didn't cha?-The ghost boy shrugged apologetically.-Nevermind. Let's go. The Council's waiting.

They walked up the stairs as Danny marveled at the view. Everything looked magical from here. They reached an open door, through which Jake walked without a second thought. Inside this door, the other boy watched in awe at the amount of chairs there was. Each row was on a lower step an at the furthest there was a long desk with five chairs on a stage. On it were five people, Lao Shi standing on the right. The five people, Danny reckoned the were dragons, looked at him sternly. Well, except for the asian lady to the left. Her flowing long black hair gave her an innocent appearance Danny couldn't shake. The African man stood up.

-American dragon. You're late.-Jake flinched.- Is this the boy you mentioned in your report?

-He is, councilman Andam.-Danny stared at the uncharacteristic respect the other boy showed.

-Very well. What is your name, child of humans?-The halfa frowned at the title.

-Danny. Danny Fenton.

-And is it true you were turned into a non human by an experiment?-Asked a very pale man with white hair.

-Um… not so much an experiment as an invention…-The woman with the pale blue hair narrowed her eyes at him.

-And what did you turn into, Danny?-Asked the kind looking asian woman. He smiled at her.

-Half ghost, miss…

-Sun Park. You can call me Sun.-Yep, definitely a nice lady.

-Don't fraternize with this thing, Sun. It's the result of a crime against nature!-Yelled the buehaired woman. Danny's eyes widened.

-Whoa, Omina. While I understand your hatred against human inventions, you shouldn't crucify a victim of one.-The halfa stared at the hispanic dragon.

-I agree with Kukulkhan.-Said Andam.-What happened to Atlantis was unfortunate, but we managed to conceal it from the humans millenia ago.-Wait. ATLANTIS?!- The more pressing matter is: is this boy to be considered a magical creature?

Jake squirmed. He hadn't told Danny, but if the council decided he wasn't…. There was a chance he'd be considered a menace and his parent's work would be destroyed. And if whatever happened to the halfa was irreversible, then he'd probably get destroyed as well. The other boy answered questions about his interactions with humans, about his interactions with ghosts and about his relationship with the malicious halfa that had almost murdered the Chinese Dragon.

-So, to summarize, if a human and a ghost were fighting each other, who would you help?

-... would they be fighting in this world or the next? 'Cause that makes one hell of a difference.

The dragons whispered amongst themselves one final time and turned to face the boy. The nordic man stood and cleared his throat.

-As your words have not given away any ill intent towards either side of your being or its kin, we, the Dragon Council have yet to determine whether you're more human or ghost.-Danny deadpanned at the guy. He had said from the beginning he was HALF ghost.

-What Councilman Kulde is trying to say is: we need more time to debate your true nature.- Said Sun.- As it is, we can only let you go and supervise your actions for the rest of the week.

-So… you'll spy one me for a week?

The nice lady dragon smiled apologetically as the American Dragon sighed in relief, making Danny idly wonder if him being spied on for a week was a good thing. He decided he'd ask later. The boys left after the Chinese Dragon joined them and the three bowed respectfully at the Council. Omina growled.

-I still don't think we should have let it leave. Even if he were more ghost than human, ghosts are malicious creatures derived from humans.

-Now, now, Omina. You read Jake's report. He and Lao Shi were as good as dead had it not been for the young half ghost and this… dragon ghost that showed up.-Replied Sun.

-It is indeed interesting.-Said Kukulkhan- I had no idea dragons could turn into ghosts after death. And the fact that a ghost would be willing to help a magical creature without knowledge of us at all? This might be a testimony of how wrong a belief can be. Be it human or magical. I mean, not even half a year ago, if someone had told me the last member of the huntsclan was going to save all of us, I would have laughed in their faces.

The three youngest members in the Dragon Council proceeded to talk amongst each other, while Kulde approached Andam.

-Now that that is over, what do you really think?

-Ghosts give me the creeps.

-I already knew that, which is why you were so silent throughout the meeting. He didn't give spectral vibes though so, what do you think of the boy?

-... He looks like a nice kid. I really hope he displays loyalty towards our kind, even if just a bit. That way, we could ask him to prevent his parents from dwelling in magic at all.

-You do realize he's the son of hunters, right?

-Ah, but GHOST hunters. Their weapons have no effect on magical creatures not based on ectoplasm from what the American Dragon could gather.

-Speaking about him… did he seem uncharacteristically educated to you too?

-Maybe he grew up.

The two elders stared at each other for a second and then burst out laughing.


	2. Food for the soul

**Hello, people! thanks for all the favourites! they made me so happy! i hope i can upload more frequently from now on, so sorry for the wait!**

 **here's the awaited second chapter!**

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-Aw man, I thought you were a goner!

-Really? You brought me here thinking I'd get murdered?!

-Well, it was better to bring yo ass here and MAYBE get murdered, instead of not bring you here and DEFINITELY getcha murdered.-Danny glared at the young dragon.

-It was a close call too.-interceded Lao Shi- Councilwoman Omina was very willing to make you full ghost back there, young man. She insisted we should finish what your parents started and avoid the dilemma altogether.

-Wha?! I knew she was whack, yo! She can't just go 'round killing people who may or may not be magical creatures!

-I kinda understand her logic…-Both dragons turned to look at the halfa like he had grown a second head.- Well, I've had to answer that question to myself numerous times. Am I even human anymore? Am I a ghost? Something in between as well as neither? It's given me my share of headaches. Plus, she comes from Atlantis, right?- both dragons nodded.-Well, I've done some digging in the mythical stories that I could find… Weren't the people in Atlantis extremely advanced in technology?

-Yes. The magical creatures in Atlantis charmed the entire island to be invisible for humans due to the humans developing too advanced technology and almost finding out about magic.

-Whoa whoa whoa. You studied for a vacation?! Man, you're a total bookworm.- Danny glared at the dragon. Again. He hadn't wanted to mess up in front of the magical community, so what?

-What I mean is: A human invention transformed a human into something else and now she and the rest of the council have to decide whether the resulting creature should know about the magical world. Of course she'd think I don't deserve a chance.

They arrived at the elevator, the goblin there kinda freaking out when he saw Danny again. The boy tried to reassure him with a nervous smile, only accomplishing to make the poor creature more nervous. He decided to put the two dragons between them, not wanting to risk a heart attack on the poor thing.

Back in New York, the trio went straight to the Long household so Danny could rest and unpack. As soon as they entered though, the halfa took a deep breath and his mouth watered instantly. What was that glorious smell?! He turned right towards the kitchen, where a short haired woman in jeans and a cardigan was pulling a tray out of the oven. He figured it must be Susan Long, but right now, the teenager was more interested in the contents of said tray. He thought he heard a conversation, recognizing Jake at the limit of his peripheral sight, but the square cookies in the tray were calling to him in a way nothing had yet.

-He'll probably say hello when he stops undressing the cookies with his eyes.

That made him look up. He wasn't exactly sure who had said that. Was he really that distracted? He grinned apologetically and extended his hand towards the now confirmed Susan Long. It didn't really take him long to focus back on the cookies. They smelled like …

-Pumpkin chocolate chips.-said Susan.

-Huh?

-The cookies. Would you like one, Danny?

He nodded enthusiastically and chomped unceremoniously on the offered treat. He closed his eyes in ecstasy. Susan laughed while Jake stared at the boy with a raised eyebrow. Had he never had cookies before? He reached out for one and sniffed it, recieving a mock glare from his mother, before nibbling on it. It was good, but not as good as Danny seemed to think they were. Don't get Jake wrong: he loved his mother's cooking and her cookies were the best, but the halfa was acting as if they were filled with… Nectar of the gods or something. Said boy opened his eyes to smile at the woman, since he had had his eyes closed for too long, making the woman jump. She could have sworn the boy had blue eyes when he entered the kitchen, now being replaced by an unnatural shade of radioactive green. The young dragon choked on his own cookie before he elbowed his ribs. Danny tried to get it under control, but before he could, Jon had entered the kitchen as well and stared at the off coloured eyes.

-Damn. Did Susan's cookies cause you an allergic reaction or something?

-Um…. No? My eyes just change colours when I have strong emotions.-Danny chuckled-I mean, those cookies are GOOD.

-Oh, right! I forgot you're a magical creature too!

The woman knew better. No magical creature she knew of had glowing green eyes. And she had grown amongst them. The boy's eyes had looked dead to her. Void of anything except… raw energy. The halfa made a mental note to avoid anything that called to his ghost side so strongly from now on. He thanked Susan again for the snack and hurriedly left upstairs to unpack. Jake tried to follow him, but a hand pulling on the collar of his jacket stopped him in his tracks. He looked back at his mother in alarm, watching as the fear on her face slowly turned to understandment and then rapidly into anger.

-You knew!

-Yo, it's not like I can just tell! It ain't my decision!

-Jake, that boy is unnatural at best! What if he's dangerous?! Are you really willing to risk your families life because of dragon duty?-That ticked him off quickly.

-He saved my life, mom! At the very least, he should get the benefit of the doubt, don'tcha think?!

And with that, the young dragon got loose from his mother's grip and ran upstairs, where he saw the attic door opened. He sighed heavily before walking up the stairs. There was no way in hell the ghost boy hadn't heard that. Danny was just floating there, chilling. Quite literally too. The air around him was unbearably cold, making the dragon's teeth clatter. The sound immediately called the boys attention, seeing his friend rubbing his arms and in turn making him realize the chilly atmosphere. He repressed his cryokinesis and gently touched the ground.

-Sorry about that. You guys have the heat all the way up and I just barge in here and send a chill down everyone's spine.-he laughed halfheartedly at his own joke.

-No, no. Ya ain't the one that oughta apologize. My mom can be...a little overprotective at times.- Danny chuckled.

-She's not being unreasonable. I'm something new, weird, hell, even unique. Not even one in two BILLION people chance of being like me. I'm a...

-If you bout to say "freak" imma kick yo ass.

Danny stared at the young dragon before smiling sadly. He hadn't been in new york for even a day and three magical creatures had already deemed him a menace. Having Jake there to reassure him truly was a gift. Said boy growled, grabbed him by his red and black hoodie and dragged him down the stairs. He yelled at the kitchen something about going out, the halfa being a little baffled yet to fully catch what he had said and they were out the door in less than you could yell "ghost". Danny hadn't even noticed the boy had yanked a scarf from the hanger next to the door until they were out in the freezing cold of new york. The resident started walking, making a sign for the tourist to follow him and off they went. They walked around for a couple of minutes, till they reached a skate park. Danny frowned. A skate park? He hadn't visited one since he was eleven. Jake met up with a dark skinned girl and a scrawny guy in a beanie. Oh, wait! Weren't those Trixie and Spud? Danny walked up to the trio and was immediately greeted by the other two. Well, greeted in friendly way by Trix, blatantly hugged to Spud's chest, who kept dramatizing the boys story as if he was narrating a greek tragedy. The halfa laughed at his antics. It was then that the boy realized Jake had his skateboard with him. When had he grabbed that?! The three friends asked him if he wanted to borrow someones equipment and skate for a bit, but he refused and told them to have their fun. He walked towards the bleachers where parents watched over their children and sat down. He watched mesmerized as they practically flew in those boards. He remembered the feeling, having once experienced it himself. He would have become addicted to it, except…

-Hi!-a blond girl said.

-Oh, hi.

-It's rare to see a teenager in a skatepark who's not skating himself.

-Says the teenaged girl that's sitting next to me.

-Hey, I said rare, not impossible. I'm Rose, by the way.

-Danny.

Silence fell upon them and the spectral being went back to watching the dragon and his friends. Now that was just showing off. The hell was Jake doing? Flips, turns, who the hell was he trying to impress with that? He saw the boy land confidently at the opposing side of the half-pipe and directing a smug look his way. Now, hold on a second. Was he … flirting?! Well, he had a couple of things coming if so. Danny was so not into guys, the mere thought was honestly a little disgusting. He then heard the blond girl next to him giggle. Oh. OH! That made much more sense.

-Thank Pariah…

-What?

-For a second there I feared he was flirting with me.-Rose laughed hysterically for what seemed like an eternity to Danny, during which he blushed a deep shade of purple.

-I-SNORT- I'm sorry. I'm not making fun of you, I swear-she chuckled some more.- It's just… the thought of my boyfriend accidentally seducing a guy when he's flirting with me made my day. Thank you.

-Wait.. Boyfriend?! Jake's your boyfriend?!

-... You know Jake?

-Yeah, I'm staying in his place for a week.

-Oh! So you're THE Danny. Huh.

-He… told you about me?

-Well, I've known about the magical community even longer than he has, so he can tell me stuff.

Danny stared. This chick was human, right? She looked human, felt human even. Everything about her screamed normal human. Why did she know about the magical community then?

-I take it you don't skate, then?

-Well… I used to, some time ago.

-Oh. Did your powers awaken and prove you weren't exactly human?-Danny blushed.

-Not quite…-She looked like she was about to ask- I broke an arm and quit.-Rose was staring at him like he had admitted to being a coward, which he kinda had been.

-No offence, but… don't you heal faster?

-Well, yeah, now that I have this powers, broken bones heal in a matter of hours.

-Isn't your fear obsolete then?

Danny gave it some thought. She was right. If he wanted, he could put the more experienced dragon in shame even. Rose watched as the thoughts processed in his head. She swore she could see gears turning, before a grin took over his features and he excused himself. He ran to the trio of friends and the huntress watched as Spud surrendered his equipment with a solemn bow, making the other two laugh and Danny blush. The taller boy walked towards her and sat on the step right below hers. They greeted and watched as the halfa stood at the edge of the precipice. And then he let himself fall down the pendent. They watched as the kid accompanied the air currents taking advantage of his light weight and the kid was suddenly up in the air, further up than anyone had been today. It was a basic move, but performed with an excellence not often seen. He skated back towards the other two, who were staring at him.

-I honestly thought you'd be kissing the ground there, man! Why keep ya skills under wrap?!

-Well… I kinda cheated there a little. I've never been so light on my feet, if you get my drift.

-Oh, you sneaky spook!- yelled Trix with a grin on her face- What else ya got?

Danny blushed again at the "praise" but dropped in the half-pipe again, making an ollie at the bottom, pulling a rock & roll on the other end, a frontside 50-50 next to the new yorkers and a frontside ollie before tictacing towards them again and as he rode up in the air, he did a midair backflip, just for show, before landing and riding the half pipe again pulling a backside disaster, lastly coming back to the dragon and his friend, who were gaping at him. The shiteating grin on his face dropped before rubbing the back of his head.

-Too much?

-Yo… YOU KIDDING ME?! YA SAID YA DIDN'T SKATE!

-Woah, Jakey! Relax!

-B. But!

-No buts! Danny was just having fun.

Jake grumbled something under his breath and took his helmet off. They walked back to the sitting humans, where Spud was freaking out.

-Danny! My man! I never thought I'd see my board being used like that! That backflip, tho! Did you see it, Rose?! He looked like he was flyi… oh.

-Well, I did say I was cheating…

-But the way you faked it! Ya looked like a pro, man!

Danny blushed again, the purple showing on his face more subtly this time. Jake was still a little ticked at the fact that the halfa had totally stolen his spotlight, but he had the consolation that his skills were real and not faked. He looked at the smile on the specter's face and realized he had accomplished his secret mission. To make him forget about his mother's bad reaction. He smiled as well, seeing Spud describe their point of view in an exaggerated manner. Yep, bringing him here had been a good idea.

The group went for coffee, the cold having reached their bones except for Danny, and chose a booth to take a rest. They all did stare when said teenager sat down with a frappe. He grinned in embarrassment before saying the word cryokinesis, to which the rest made a sound of understanding and drank their hot beverages comfortably.

-So, Danny.-Started Rose- Jake failed to mention your species.-and just like that, comfort was gone.-I mean, ice, flight, I've never seen a creature like you.-Danny squirmed in his spot

-Is someone's SPECIES something you openly talk about?

-Well, not really. Normally I can tell within ten minutes of talking with someone, but you are something I've never seen before. That's rare.

-But not impossible, right?-She smiled and danny sighed.-Promise you won't freak out?-Jake stared. Was he really gonna tell? The trio sat at the edge of their seats when Rose nodded.- Do you believe in ghosts?-Upon Rose's frown Danny knew he was in for a long explanation.

Jake laughed in his face as they walked home. The explanation had taken him almost an hour and by the end of it Rose's immediate reaction had been to take his pulse. Danny glared at the dragon.

-It's not funny! She drew so much attention people asked if I was ok!

-It was your face! It went so purple people thought you were choking!

-Well, excuse me! Your girlfriend's face was so close I could feel her breath!

-Yeah, it was hilarious! You really thought she was gonna kiss ya or sumthin?

-Well I thought you were flirting with me back at the skate park, seems to be a theme today.

Jake stopped moving, to which Danny looked back. The dragon had this severely disgusted expression on his face.

-Yo, I so totally don't swing that way, no offence.

-I don't swing that way either!

-Well, now that we cleared that, ya can go back to crushin' on your goth friend.

-We're not lovebirds!-the yell had come by reflex, but it was enough to get the dragon laughing again.

-Ya get called lovebirds a lot?

Danny blushed purple again, hiding his face under his hood, before turning back around and walking towards the Long residence, Jake being right behind him, still trying to stifle his laugh. They walked in, seeing right away that the whole family was there, waiting for them. The boys sobered up instantly, Jake closing the door behind himself.

-Yo, peeps, whattup?-Susan stepped forward.

-I wanted to apologize. I realized you can't be having the most comfortable experience if you alone were brought to meet the council. I mean, it doesn't take a genius to know that you're different than your family and that ... must be hard.-Danny smiled softly.- I won't apologize for worrying about my family, though.-Danny chuckled.

-I understand. Don't worry. I know I did the same when my sister brought home a ghost as her boyfriend.

-So ghosts are real?-Quipped Jon.

-...I thought Lao Shi would have told you.-The Chinese Dragon looked up.

-While I do agree that they're entitled to know what's living under their roof, I thought it best if you told them yourself.

The boy made a sound of understanding and proceeded to summon them to the living room, where he instructed them to sit. Jonathan, Susan and Haley took the couch, while Lao Shi took the recliner. Jake simply stood by the entrance. The ghost boy gathered his courage and cleared his throat. This was going to be the third time he explained this todsy, so he was going to take the direct approach.

-My parents are scientists in the paranormal field and due to an accident with one of their inventions I'm now half ghost.-He held his hand up when he saw the little girl open her mouth to say something.- I know it seems impossible, but it's not the first time this has happened. Due to us not being even near the magical society, the first time your community encountered one of my kind was when I rescued Jake from those hunters in the van. I'm no threat, you can trust a ghost about as much as you can trust a felon, because most of the ones that come to this world are precisely that and yes, there is a world beyond our own where ghosts reside.

-Ok!-Said jake after a couple of seconds had passed and no one said a thing.- Any questions?

-What kind of accident?-Asked Susan in a very soft voice.

-I entered a machine about as big as this room and the power went on.-The woman flinched.

-If your parent are scientists, how come they didn't reverse your… situation?-Jon managed to get out.

-Well, they probably could have, had I actually told them.

-Your parents don't know you're not human?!-both parents said in unison.

-I don't see the problem here. I've been this weird ghost human hybrid for about a year and you, Jon, didn't know you had married into a dragon family for the better part of 15 years. Don't get me wrong, I want to tell them, but I want to wait till I know I can stand my ground against the Guys In White in case they've bugged my place.

-Who're the guys in white?-Haley asked from between the shocked adults.

-Imagine the Men In Black movie, except they're hellbent on destroying all aliens.

-Oh… Then you probably can't have them know about you anytime soon.

-Speaking of,-interrupted Lao Shi from the sidelines- The Council will do their best in shutting those men down. Jake made the mistake of showing himself before them and there's no way we're letting them work with the knowledge that magic exists.

Danny stared at the old man in shock. Those were splendid news! His eyes shone in excitement, making Susan squirm in her seat.

-Yo, Dan, why don'tcha transform so ya can float roundda house?- The ghost boy stared at the young dragon. He had seen how his mom reacted to the green eyes and he wanted her to full out see a ghost in her living room?

-Do you want me to give your mom a heart attack?

-Give'r some credit, she's seen some shit.

Danny glanced at the woman curiously looking back and forth between her son and their visitor. He warned them not to freak out, explaining what they'd see. Two rings of light then appeared at his midsection and traveled in opposing directions, transforming him into Danny Phantom. Jon was at the edge of his seat, while the two dragonesses tensed up at the sight. They stayed in silence, waiting for someone else to make the first move, that is, until Jon jumped up all hyped and walked around the floating boy in his living room.

-Wow! You even look like a superhero!-Danny smirked.

-Funny you used that term, I'm considered a ghostly hero back home.-Jon gasped.

-Do you fight crime?

-I fight ghosts that terrorize the town.

-And he foils the plans of their evil mayor every chance he gets.-added Jake.

-You have an evil mayor?!

-As a matter of fact, he quit recently. Rumors say he went back to Wisconsin.

-Good. Means it worked.-Muttered Jake in the back.

-I'm sorry, what worked?

-Remember I burned his face with G's blood?

-Uh… yeah

-You did WHAT?!-Yelled the other three dragons

-He had badly injured G. I couldn't let him leave unpunished.

-Why's everyone freaking out? What did he do?-Asked Danny.

-He marked him as a murderer. For all to see.

-Uh, yeah, I don't think that'd make him retreat as he did. We halfas cure in a matter of hours. Burns disappear in minutes.

-Not a burn of dragonfire igniting dragonblood.-Informed him the elder in the room.-Those burns accompany you throughout your life, even if they cannot be seen. Plus they have a nasty side effect. No matter how rational, any living being will fear, reject and isolate someone bearing such a mark.

-Wait… Vlad's going to get isolated because of it?! How good are the chances he traces his sudden loneliness back to you?

-Since he's familiar with ghosts, i'd say they're pretty good.

-Also considering I told him…-Jake whispered from his spot. Danny stared.

-ARE YOU NUTS?! Why in the GHOST ZONE would you tell a self centered, arrogant, egocentric evil mastermind you're responsible for his forced isolation?!

-Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time…

Danny paced back and forth. This was bad. Very bad. He knew from experience how vengeful Vlad could be. And if what Lao Shi had said was true, then there might even be a chance his own cat, the only living being that kinda sorta loved Vlad, had abandoned him. The halfa'd be hurt, bordering insane if.. No. WHEN he came. None was the wiser as a pair of red eyes watched New York from the shadows and a snarl escaped a fanged sneer.


	3. Mayhem Bazaar

Danny yawned for the tenth time that morning. He had been almost unable to sleep last night due to worry. He was sure Vlad would come at some point, but all he could do was prepare the dragon, for he didn't know if he'd be here to help once the older halfa came. He had decided last night to train Jake's clique in ghost fighting as well. Get them wristrays, fenton lipsticks and probably a thermos. He'd contacted Sam and Tuck for that exact reason last night and they had agreed that the american dragon was in danger, which didn't calm Danny in the least. He stood up when the subway reached the last station, except Jake grabbed his wrist.

-Yo, where ya goin? I told ya to follow me.  
-But…  
-No buts. I ain't getting off, so ya ain't either.  
-Look, I know you said this was a surprise, but I also know a terminal when I see one.

However, as soon as those words left the ghost's mouth, the subway train dislodged from the tracks and raised from the ground. The dragon smirked at his surprised expression.

-Yeah, well, ya might wanna get your sight checked, Phantom.

The dragon walked out of the wagon, with a stream of … peculiar people, Danny now realized. He followed his guide out and took in the scenery. He felt like he had just walked into Diagon Alley or something, except creatures roamed the streets instead of witches and wizards. Well, those too. Jake welcomed him to Magus Bazaar, the magical hotspot in New York, where no one needed to hide, where the humans didn't walk unless they were invited. Danny saw fairies, trolls, even a woman with spider legs, who was later introduced to him as Veronica and further beings he couldn't even name. Danny felt like a kid who went to the fair for the first time. Everything caught his attention, only to lose it when he saw the next thing. Potion supplies in shops, talismans, charms, magic books, he thought he'd lost his mind! He did steer away from a shop that was a little too… negative, regarding energy. He almost stepped on a very little man, a brownie according to Jake, and only after apologizing like a thousand times did the small man finally let him go from extreme leg hair pulling. He definitely understood now why Sam didn't wax.  
It became noon sooner than they realized, the only indicator having been the rumbling in their bellies, and our heroes sat down at a place called 'The Scoop'. They ordered a meal and relaxed in the sun.

-So, what do we do next, Jake?  
-My plan's to show ya round. Lotsa things to see, lotsa people to meet.  
-Like who?  
-Well, for starters, I wanna introduce ya to miss Derceto. She used to be the principal in my school, but her mission finished and she went back to the bottom of the Hudson.-Danny spit his drink.  
-Bottom of the …  
-She's a mermaid. And a detective.  
-How did a mermaid pose as a principal?  
-You'll see soon enough.

The teenagers finished their lunch, paid and left for their next destination. They approached a bridge, next to which sat a middle aged woman in a wheelchair. In the water swam a girl with brown hair and a pink shirt, who waved at Jake happily. Danny frowned. Wasn't this chick too young to pretend to be a principal? Both of them jogged to the bridge.

-Silver! Whatcha doin' here?  
-Oh, I just missed my earthbound friends, is all. Dolores was nice enough to let me tag along.-Said the girl, motioning towards the brunette who sat there.  
-I see you haven't changed much, Mr. Long.-Jake laughed uneasily-Is this the friend you wanted to introduce to us?  
-Wait. She's a mermaid?!-Said Danny pointing at the woman with his thumb  
-Has your mother never told you it's rude to point fingers?-Snapped miss Derceto. The halfa apologized.  
-Yeah. This is Danny. He's a magical creature brought up by humans, so I'm showing him around. And yes, she's a mermaid. Hence why she's in a wheelchair, genius.  
-Hey! For all I know, she could be paraplegic!  
-That was my cover for many years, so I understand why you'd think so, young man.  
-Anyway, I was wondering If ya'd give'im a quick lecture on water creatures. I can't compete with the knowledge of a water creature.  
-... Very well, but you have to promise to do something about that awful slang of yours. I may have been undercover, but I took the education of my students very seriously.-Jake gasped as the halfa laughed in his face, along with the young mermaid in the water.  
-Fine. Imma do "somethin bout it". Ya spook can hav'em all to yourself. I'm out.

The three non draconians watched him walk away, hands in his pockets and kicking pebbles. All that drama because people didn't like his slang? Danny did feel a little bad for laughing now. He knew his friend had done a lot to make him feel welcomed and he was being rude, laughing at his host and all. The elder mermaid taught him a lot, reaching a point where she wasn't finding the words to describe the more complicated stuff Danny was asking about. Silver mentioned she wished Danny could see it then.

-So show me.-The mers looked at him weird.  
-Never mind the hypothermia, you'll drown. It's underwater.  
-So? I can leave my hoodie up here and go down with you guys. Cold doesn't bother me and I don't need oxygen that much.

Silver beamed while Dolores looked uncertain. What kind of creature walked and didn't need air? No, he had said oxygen. Even mers needed oxygen, even if it was in liquid state. However, Danny's little underwater excursion would have to wait, considering a mob of magical creatures ran screaming from the direction the young dragon had walked in. Somehow, they managed to hear that the American Dragon had been overpowered by a powerful creature and the halfa hurried against the current of people, thinking the worst, phasing through more than one individual and reaching the patio in the middle of the bazaar, where his friend was being stepped on by a creature with the body of a lion and a woman's head. On one hand, Danny relaxed seeing it wasn't a certain Halfa, but he swore under his breath as he knew nothing about this thing. As soon as the creature raised one of its paws to slash down its prey, meaning Jake, Danny raced to release him. When the thing's paw finally struck down, the creature frowned. There had been a dragon under her paw, right? She heard panting to the side and quickly looked to her right, where the dragon stood, having been aided by another humanoid. The sphinx growled.

-How dare you take my prey?!  
-I'm sorry, but it's not open season on dragons!-Jake groaned at the lame banter, before pulling down on the halfa when a clawed paw aimed at his head.-What even is that thing?!  
-It's a sphinx.  
-Like the one in Egypt?  
-No, that one's stone. This one's real and hungry af.- They dodged another attack.  
-Speaking of, why are you not in dragon form?  
-Well, dragons are kinda- they jumped over her tail to avoid it.-allergic to sphinxes? We lose all power.  
-Wow. And you just casually picked a fight with one with no weapons? Bold.

The boys duck and rolled away from their adversary when she swinged her paw again at them. Danny swore the thing was yelling at them to stay still so she could kill them and shuddered, before getting himself and jake behind a wall to regroup.

-So how do you beat it?  
-Well, those things normally throw a riddle atcha. But they're sneaky little bs and their riddle's in some weirdass language. You answer correctly, you live. You answer wrong or not at all and you dead, man.

Before Danny could answer, he felt death looming over Jake, something he had been getting a lot lately when someone was in immediate danger, and phased them both through the ground, right before a set of claws tore apart their hiding spot. The boys emerged from the other side of the plaza, Jake gasping for air. The sphinx turned at the sound, staring at them.

-I don't know how you got there, but answer the riddle or die.  
-I heard no riddle!- yelled Danny at her.- If you're gonna try to kill me, at least riddle me first!  
-Dude! Watcha doin?!-The sphinx grinned evilly.  
-Kabirat kajbal, saghirat kalbazla', walsabahat alty la nihayat laha fi bahr la mayiya.(¹) What am I?

Jake stared in horror as the halfa stared at their enemy with a blank face. Hell, the boy must have lost it, because not a minute after sentencing himself to death, he was laughing his ass off. The dragon and the sphinx glanced at each other before looking back at the blue eyed boy, who was honestly trying to calm down.

-I thought you said it was in a weird language.  
-It is.  
-What, you don't speak riddlish?-he mocked him- Honestly. How hard can it be to understand "Large as a mountain, small as a pea, endlessly swimming in a waterless sea"?-The sphinx screeched as the dragon stared at the other boy.  
-Ya gonna have to add something to your list of superpowers, Danno.  
-Huh? What do you mean?  
-Well, you just translated the riiii AN ASTEROID! THE ANSWER'S AN ASTEROID!  
-CHEATING! YOU CHEATED!- and with that cry, the sphinx pounced on the halfa.

Danny yelped when the womanly face turned feral, growing enough in size to swallow his head whole. Her jaws snapped shut around his neck. Some people, who has hung around to watch left in horror, but the boys headless body didn't collapse. Instead, the boys arms searched for his head where it used to be, clenched its fists upon not finding it, walked right up to the menacing teeth and fazed in his hands to grab his head. The sphinx stared. Jake stared. Some spectators stared. Finally, the attacking creature screamed her heart out, turned tail and left faster than she had ever run. Danny proceeded to put his head back on his shoulders with an offended look in his eyes.

-And wash your teeth next time! Your breath was bad enough to kill someone! The nerve, right?

Jake didn't know how to respond. The guy's head had just been CHOMPED OFF and he cared about halitosis?! He would have commented on it, but a deafening scream stopped him. Before they could react, someone had tackled Danny to the ground. The halfa tried to fight off his attacker, but he stopped his efforts when he realized Jake was laughing uncontrollably. He glanced down at the person, a redheaded girl with glistening eyes, wearing a black shirt with white rims. A girl looking just like her, except with straight hair and duller eyes slowly approached the small group, greeting Jake like this was all too normal.

-Danny, this is Kara and the one who has you in a deathgrip is Sara.  
-Oh….. hi?-He answered with uncertainty from the floor. The other girl pulled on her sister's shirt.  
-C'mon, Sara. Manners.  
-Oh, right!-She got up faster than expected, giving Danny a real chance to look at her. He just stared at the shirt she was wearing.  
-Is that…. Danny Phantom's emblem?

(¹)it's in arabic, but imagine this is ancient egyptian. also, i humbly ask for forgiveness, since google translate probably butchered the riddle...


End file.
